Sep 19, 2006 5:50 pm US/Eastern
Controversy Brews Between Steele, Cardin Campaigns
by Pat Warren
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
Lt. Gov. and Senate candidate Michael Steele is looking for an explanation for derogatory statements from a former Ben Cardin campaign staffer.
The staffer was fired last week after comments on the staffer's blog made racially charged comments including references to Oreo cookies and what Cardin considered anti-Semitic references as well.
Despite the firing, the Steele campaign says the incident is further evidence that his political rivals look to separate him from the African American community.
"We already know from an accidentally released strategy document that the national Democratic Party has the objective of 'knocking' the Lieutenant Governor down and 'discrediting' him in the African American community, and now it's clear that this attitude has permeated through the highest levels of the Cardin campaign," Steele said in a written statement this weekend.
Cardin also responded, denouncing the staffer's comments and actions. In a statement, Cardin wrote: "I am deeply offended and disgusted by the blog's racial and anti-Semitic overtones. The staff member responsible was promptly dismissed and will have nothing to do with this campaign."
The Steele campaign says Cardin's actions don't go far enough. On the blog the author referred to herself as a senior staffer and said she planned to have a picture of other staffers eating Oreos, with the caption reading: "Devouring the competition." She also wrote she planned to allege sexual harassment.
The Cardin campaign says the blogger was a junior staffer. The Democratic Senate Committee workers who accessed Steele's credit report were also fired.
It seems as if Cardin's apology and actions may not be enough to satisfy Steele, however.
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